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Smart Shopper Buying and Selling Vehicles Online (eBay, etc.)
225 messages, Last post on Sep 24, 2009 at 8:13 AM
You are in the Smart Shopper Forum. Your Hosts are kirstie_h & tidester
In general, you have to do your homework and realize what things are worth BEFORE bidding on Ebay. Too many times I see used items go for retail or above what the new item would cost...crazy! 
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yup, they even recommned using the autobid feature, but it made sense to me to bid low early and let the autobid set the cap. At this point, I doubt I would buy anything, but it is great for finding stuff for sale locally if you want a specific car that is hard to find. Not so good for buying that 2003 Camry LE. |
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We had a lady in our service department last week who purchased a Miata off of ebay.... she knew she was in trouble when the car arrived at her house on a truck and there was a big oil puddle under the car.....that was just the beginning of the problems. The car had a clean carfax but was clearly hit hard and glued back together with shoestring and rubber bands....the seller is playing mickey the dunce and claims to know nothing. She expressed her displeasure with ebay and said once was enough. She will continue to buy trinkets off ebay but no more cars. The great deal wasnt so great.
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Replying to: audia8q (Jul 07, 2005 7:42 am) Ebay isn't the problem.. She has a severe shortage of good judgement.. Ebay is a good place to find cars.... but, bidding and buying, and taking delivery.... without seeing the car.... that is just nuts!! regards, kyfdx |
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But, that's the model Ebay is built on. Trust and feedback. WHich is nice, until you are the one leaving negative feedback! At minimum, a third party inspection is a good idea. I think that if I did buy, it would only be if I could see it beforehand (that is, sorta local), or at minimum, if I was willing to fly in and check it out before handing over the money, and walk if it wasn't as represented. Hey, when you buy a pig in a poke, you still end up with a pig!
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Replying to: audia8q (Jul 07, 2005 7:42 am) Sounds like your friend could use ebay's fraud protection claim process. In particular, the "Material Misrepresentation (undisclosed damage)" to the vehicle. . I'm sure it's still a big hassle though and a $100 deductible. |
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Unless the car is something really really unique I can't imagine buying something like a car off ebay......It seems to me that alot of the folks buying cars from ebay are doing so because they "think" they are getting a deal and they get whipped up in the bidding process. I have heard alot more bad ebay car stories than good.... Obviously there are some quality car sellers on ebay and maybe some deals to be had.....but it seems alot easier to weed out a crook who is local than a crook hiding behind ebay 2000 miles away.. Previously there was a guy on here who sold alot of cars on ebay. He did well and had a good reputation....but most of the stuff he sold was unique in one way or another....If I remember correctly he loved stuff like Vauxhalls.
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seems to be good for oddballs, scams, and as an advertising vehicle for used car dealers that sell higher end stuff. It's fun to browse if nothing else. Now parts is a different story. That is a wonderful use of Ebay. |
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Replying to: audia8q (Jul 07, 2005 10:49 am) |
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Replying to: jeffkiel (Jul 07, 2005 6:33 am) I guess what I find interesting about Ebay is - it's not much different than an auto auction with 3,000 vehicles running thru ..... what gets effected most of all, is the "human factor" ... dealers can stand shoulder to shoulder and bid on the same car, but be $500 or even $2,000 apart on price because the "human factor" falls into the equation (emotion) - "someone is bidding higher than I am, so it must be worth more, so I must bid more" .. I've seen dealers get that crazed look in their eye's and bid til' their arms fall off .. not much different than Ebay, but in slow motion ..l.o.l... The most important thing .. is to know the vehicle and know what the "real value" is ... that said, you also must be able to touch and feel that vehicle, because the value is really based on what it "doesn't need", not on what someone "feels" it might need ..... ebay is fine for a knowlegable buyer and if he can get to the vehicle and have a close look see .. but what makes ebay successful, is that darn human factor that involves emotion and the intrigue to go with it ...... I had a very interesting conversation with a real estate guy over the weekend and he's been in the business for about 30 years and very successful ... "right now" 22% of his business is based online and ebay .. that means, he has people in Boston, Pittsburg, Detroit, Milwaukee, Green Bay, etc etc that are buying homes "site unseen" down south --- that just friggin' stuns me, it just amazes me.! ...... the 2 most important things in life, *cars and homes* and folks won't even take the inishative to look at them..?!? ... 47,000(?) some lawsuits on ebay - and they want to blame whom...? Terry
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